Star Valley Establishes Police Unit

The Star Valley Town Council voted in favor of establishing a police agency at Tuesday night's meeting.

The move was necessary before the town could enforce citations stemming from the forthcoming photo radar system.

The council voted 6-0 in favor of both an ordinance and resolution establishing the police agency. Councilor Bill Heath was not in attendance.

Town Manager Vito Tedeschi said the decision would legally allow the creation of a town-run police department as well. Star Valley has a contract for police services with the Town of Payson Police Department until June 30, 2009.

"Since we've decided to do our own ticketing ticketing we have to create a department, by law," Tedeschi said. "These updates have been reviewed by (Gila County) Judge (Dorothy) Little and our photo enforcement consultant."

The photo enforcement process is running along, Tedeschi said.

He said he is still waiting on a permit from the Arizona Department of Transportation, which he hopes he will receive shortly.

"(By Friday) hopefully we'll get the actual permit," he said. "Then we'll be on a 30-day construction schedule."

The town has received the photo enforcement warning signs already, he said.

The signs will be set up 300 feet and 500 feet after the posted speed-limit sign as a warning to motorists of the upcoming photo enforcement system. The signs are a requirement in the process, he said.

The council also honored Staff Sgt. Matthew Binney for being awarded the Silver Star for his actions in a mission named Operation Kaika in Afghanistan. Binney's parents, George and Brenda, are Star Valley residents.

Mayor Chuck Heron was choked up as he read a statement honoring Matthew.

Heron read the chorus of the nation's first unofficial national anthem, "Hail, Columbia." Heron said the phrase, "band of brothers" was coined by George Washington in reference to his troops. The phrase was used in the chorus of the song.

"I think George Washington could look into the future and see the likes of